Effect of prostaglandin F2alpha on the lysosomal membranes of eye tissues

It was demonstrated that both in vitro and in intravenous injection of prostaglandin F2alpha there occurred labilization of the membranes of sclera and ciliary body lysosomes, in difference from the cornea in rabbits. Glycosidase activity appeared in the vitreous body under the effect of prostaglandin, which was absent under normal conditions.     

Racial aspects of blood pressure in children and adolescents

I have discussed a model of the psyche comprising two different modes of thinking, one non-psychotic and the other psychotic. I have related these modes of thinking to our modern myth of Jekyll and Hyde, the study of which could in my opinion give us some insight into their nature. In my view a non-psychotic state of mind belongs to a person who has a history, with particular parents, a particular development, particular conflicts, and operates in the depressive position. A psychotic state of mind belongs to a person who lives in a still and timeless present, with no origin, no development and no conflict, and operates in the paranoid-schizoid position. On the basis of this model I have subsequently described the life history of a psychotic patient and an analytic session in detail, showing how psychotic and non-psychotic states alternate and interact with each other within the same individual and between patient and therapist. The use of my countertransference, moving from a concrete to a symbolic position, has enabled me to make an interpretation. The result of this interpretation has been double, leading to a negative therapeutic reaction. An upsurge of psychotic fury was followed by increased patient/therapist communication, with a small movement from the paranoid-schizoid to the depressive position.     

Voltage sensitivity of the osteoclast calcium receptor

We demonstrated previously that osteoclasts possess a divalent cation-sensitive "receptor", the Ca2+ receptor. Activation of the Ca2+ receptor by the surrogate cation Ni2+ was shown to elicit an increase in cytosolic [Ca2+] to a peak value followed by an exponential decline. In the present study we examined the influence of surface membrane voltage on the kinetics of Ca2+ receptor inactivation. The K+ ionophore, valinomycin was applied to intercept the declining phase of the cytosolic [Ca2+] transient elicited by application of between 50 microM- and 5 mM-[Ni2+]. This resulted in a sustained elevation of cytosolic [Ca2+] or even a 'hump' followed by a gradual decline. Such a kinetic alteration persisted in a Ca(2+)-free solution, but was abolished in high extracellular [K+] (105 mM). Thus, we demonstrate for the first time to our knowledge, a modulatory effect of membrane potential on the function of the osteoclast Ca2+ receptor.     

Combination cytotoxic effects of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) and 5-fluorouracil with and without leucovorin against human non-small cell lung cancer cell lines

Both cisplatin (CDDP) and leucovorin (LV) have been shown to enhance cytotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil (FUra) against murine and human neoplasms by increasing intracellular reduced folate concentrations. We were interested in their use in a combination to inhibit non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell growth and therefore conducted an in vitro study to investigate the cytotoxic activities of combinations of CDDP plus FUra, with and without LV (20 microM), against seven NSCLC cell lines. A tetrazolium assay with application of the classical isobole method was used to test drug combinations. We found that LV enhanced FUra but not CDDP cytotoxicity and that the degree of enhancement was negatively correlated with the effect of FUra. There was an overall additive combination effect of CDDP plus FUra, although there may be synergy at higher effect levels. There was synergy to a combination of CDDP, FUra, and LV, presumably primarily related to the synergistic effects of adding LV to FUra. In summary, LV and CDDP enhanced FUra cytotoxicity in a complementary fashion and there was clear synergy of a combination of CDDP, FUra, and LV against a panel of NSCLC cell lines. Our in vitro results provide a rationale for controlled clinical studies of this three-drug regimen in patients with NSCLC.     

Subanesthetic concentrations of isoflurane suppress learning as defined by the category-example task

It has been shown that chronic oral steroid therapy (ST) does not induce respiratory muscle dysfunction in normal and asthmatic subjects. As corticosteroids are sometimes chronically used in the treatment of the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the aim of our study was to verify whether ST could cause respiratory muscle impairment and, since ST also affects the central nervous system, whether ST could influence the ventilatory pattern. We retrospectively studied 12 COPD patients (group A), on long-term therapy (for at least 4 consecutive months, range 4-18 months) with an oral steroid, deflazacort, 15 mg.d-1. The subjects were strictly matched, with regard to age, sex, height, weight, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), residual volume (RV), arterial oxygen tension (PaCO2), arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) and pH, with 12 COPD patients (Group B) who had never taken oral steroids. To assess respiratory muscle strength, we measured maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) pressures, while mouth occlusion pressure (P0.1) was employed to assess neuromuscular drive; ventilatory pattern and airway impedence were also evaluated. Effectiveness of ST was confirmed by the plasmatic levels of endogenous cortisol. No significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to MIP (A 72.2 +/- 9.7 vs B: 70 +/- 7.2 cmH2O) and MEP (A 91.6 +/- 10.5 vs B 94.4 +/- 7.6 cmH2O) whilst P0.1 was significantly higher in group A (2.6 +/- 0.3 cmH2O) than in group B (1.8 +/- 0.1 cmH2O). No significant differences were found among all the ventilatory parameters, but the impedence was significantly higher in group A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Fine physical mapping of Ph1, a chromosome pairing regulator gene in polyploid wheat

The diploid-like chromosome pairing in polyploid wheat is controlled by the Ph1 (pairing homoeologous) gene that is located on chromosome arm 5BL. By using a combination of cytogenetic and molecular techniques, we report the physical location of the Ph1 gene to a submicroscopic chromosome region (Ph1 gene region) that is flanked by the breakpoints of two deletions (5BL-1 and ph1c) and is marked by a DNA probe (XksuS1). The Ph1 gene region is present distal to the breakpoint of deletion 5BL-1 but proximal to the C-band 5BL2.1. Two other DNA probes (Xpsr128 and Xksu75) flank the region-Xpsr128 being proximal and Xksu75 being distal. The estimated size of the region is less than 3 Mb. The chromosome region around the Ph1 gene is high in recombination as the genetic distance of the region between 5BL-1 breakpoint and C-band 5BL2.1 (not resolved by the microscope) is at least 9.3 cM.     

Zinc counteracts experimentally-induced cirrhotic changes in rats

In the present study, cirrhosis was induced in rats by administration of carbon tetra chloride for 8 weeks. In these animals ZnSo4 (equivalent to 100 and 200 micrograms of zinc) was administered orally and liver function tests and plasma zinc (Zn) estimations were carried out after 2 and 4 week intervals. The results revealed that Zn supplement counteracts cirrhotic changes in liver.     

Studies with an intravas nylon device in rat

Contraceptive efficacy of an intravas device (IVD) was investigated in rat. The IVD used consisted of a nylon suture which did not occlude the lumen of the vas completely and permitted a free passage of spermatozoa. Its presence for periods ranging from 15 to 180 days did not produce any changes in the histology of the testis and epididymis; In the vas deferens the tall columnar ciliated epithelium was replaced by squamous epithelium. A spermatic granuloma developed on the vas at the entry of the IVD and its frequency of occurrence and size increased with the passage of time. The device caused an increase in the vasal protein, sialic acid and phospholipid content, and a decrease in the level of glycogen and alkaline phosphatase activity at 15 days. The level of portein, glycogen and alkaline phosphatase activity returned to normalcy at 90 days but the sialic acid and phospholipid content remained elevated. Notwithstanding these alterations the device failed to affect the spermatozoal number, morphology, motility and their fertilizing ability. The significance of these findings is discussed.